October 9th marks the beginning of the National Fire Protection Association’s (NFPA) 100th Fire Prevention Week 2022. This year’s theme, “Fire won’t wait. Plan your escape!” highlights the importance of having an evacuation plan in place, so you’re prepared should a fire emergency ever occur in your home.
Time to Escape
Just as today’s homes are built faster than ever, they also burn faster than ever. From the time your smoke alarm sounds, you have as few as two (or less) minutes to get out of the house. This makes it important to stay on top of your family’s fire safety by maintaining smoke alarms and having an escape plan.
Practice “Smoke Alarm Saturday”
Smoke detectors can sense fire much earlier than you, especially when you’re asleep. It’s ideal to have interconnected, working smoke detectors in every bedroom, outside of every sleeping area, and on each floor of your home. Fire Prevention Week 2022 is promoting “Smoke Alarm Saturday,” which involves testing your smoke alarms on the first Saturday of every month. Make sure everyone in your home can recognize the sound and that they know what to do in the event of the alarm going off. If your smoke detector begins to chirp, it’s time to replace the batteries. Once a smoke detector reaches ten years of age, it should be replaced entirely.
Develop A Home Fire Escape Plan
Draft a home escape plan, with at least two ways out of each room. Establish a meeting place that is a safe distance from your home and plan to call 9-1-1 from there. Once you have come up with an escape plan, make sure everyone in your home is familiar with it. Having practice drills at least twice a year will help ensure a timely evacuation in the event of an emergency. If you have young children, it’s important to make sure they know how to escape on their own.
Safety in the Workplace
Fire Prevention Week 2022 spans from October 9th-15th and is celebrated the same week every year. Though this year’s theme focuses on safety in the home, it’s also an excellent topic to address in the workplace. If you are a business owner or facility manager, Fire Prevention Week is a great opportunity to remind your employees or anyone working in your building of the most efficient ways to escape the building.
Fire Systems, Inc.
Atlanta-based Fire Systems, Inc. has been in the business of total fire protection since 1986. Our highly trained technicians are prepared to design, implement, inspect and maintain any aspect of your facility’s fire suppression system. We also offer 24/7 alarm monitoring, ensuring the fastest response possible in the unfortunate event of a fire.
If you have any questions or concerns about the exit lighting or means of egress in your building(s), Fire Systems, Inc can help. Visit our website or give us a call today at 770-333-7979.